How to gain weight?

It is believed that to gain weight is easier than to be slimmer. Indeed, the human body resists weight loss, trying to save the accumulated reserves. However, in reality, many people suffer from underweight and are unable to gain enough weight, even under current conditions of food abundance, following proprietary programs and authorita-tive advices. Otherwise, why would I pick up this topic?

Typically, a program for weight gain includes the following items:

Limitation of physical activity: a long sleep, rest in the supine position, watching TV and reading;

Getting rid of bad habits such as smoking and addiction to caffeine.

Regular balanced diet consisting of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

High-calorie snacks between meals, consumption of calories from beverages.

In my opinion, much of the recommendations of such programs are purely speculative, and the views of their authors may be formulated as: "more to eat, less to move". The logic, of course, there is in this, but what such program is different from, say, of geese fattening technology? Or let's say no to sex - how much energy can be saved!

No, I'm not an expert on weight gain, but I diligently read a lot of publications, compared with some others, drove to my database about the impact of nutrition on the metabolism, and I'm willing to share my findings. As well as criticism, where this is relevant.

So here's what I believe can really help you if you do not need treatment.

1. Try to improve appetite

Of course, it is very difficult and sad to eat by force, so your main concern should be - to ignite a healthy appetite. There are several proven methods:

- Never include your favorite dishes in the forbidden list.
- Beautifully serve table, even when eating alone - it stimulates the desire to start eating.
- Red is a stimulant effect not only on the bull, but also on your appetite.
- Try before eating, a little tincture of wormwood (tonic) or anything acidic, such as a slice of lemon.
- Take a walk before a meal in the fresh air - it also improves appetite.
- Follow the daily schedule and nutrition routine, eat always at the same time.
- Do not ignore sex. "Sex and cake" - that's a way not only to lose weight but to grow stout also.

The daily schedule is also important for normal appetite. If you get used to eat at the same time, your stomach in complete agreement with Pavlov, get used to work out in time the gastric juice, which will provide you with a healthy appetite.

And, according Louise Hay, such mantra should help also:

"I love and approve of myself. Nothing is not threatened to me. Life is joyous and safe".

Or:

"It is safe to be myself. I am wonderful man. I choose life, joy, and I welcome myself as a person".
The thing is that it is necessary to repeat this every day 49 times (seven times seven, as taught by Christ). Sure, the appetite must well appear this way.

2. Nutrition principles

This is the case when we would a bit philosophize.

Many the authors (well, almost all) recommend eating 5-6 times a day. They motivated this by the fact that when you receive food in small portions, it is better digested and assimilated. However, no one argues this recommendation seriously and even did not develop it, they think, perhaps, that this is all so clear.

But it's not quite yet clear, as in one rather amusing program for extremely thin people, author, who also follows the principle of a frequent meal, at the same time saying that you need eat frequently, but every time load up the full belly. His credo is: "You should not feel hunger ever!"

How, tell me, the food will be digested better this case? And what the pancreas survive this? It is known fact that every organ, and digestive, too, is in the daily cycle of three stages: of the maximum efficiency, minimal and optimal. During the period of minimum efficiency body heals itself, restored for further work. You can gain weight, probably, this way, but when pancreas will fall with liver together, and you'll get gastritis couple with colitis, a rule number two goes into effect: weight loss due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

In general, where they got that in crushed diet, food is always better absorbed? Yes, of course, if you have reduced the acidity or gastritis, it is better to eat smaller portions (but for another reason). But in any case, the quality of food digestion in the stomach depends primarily on its composition, which must match exactly to the terms in your own digestive organ.

Apparently, the authors have forgotten (or simply do not know) about the mechanism of operation of the duodenal switch. But this mechanism is simple, as Columbian egg: only when the pH of the environment in your stomach will be neutral (the value decreased to 7.0), the duodenal switch will open and the food mass fall into the duodenum. A lot of food in the stomach or small - this does not matter: as long as all it does not digest, it not fall in the intestines. If you know the feeling of heaviness in the stomach, when, God forbid, you are overeaten, you agree with me.

And the second - what I have already mentioned in passing: our digestive tract is not assembly line, it can not work in three shifts. The maximum activity of the stomach around the time of 7 to 9 o'clock in the morning (apparently, that's why it is said: eat breakfast yourself). From 19 to 21 hours, the stomach resting and recovering, so there is a rule not to eat after 7 o'clock.

From 9 to 11 - it's the peak activity of the pancreas. By this time the food is digested and enters the bulb of the duodenum, where pancreatic ducts open. And then are coming into play as usual the small intestine, liver, and finally, just the next morning - the large intestine. And it becomes obviously now, why in the morning, some people sing in the closet.

The third - the supporters of frequent nutrition to weight gain completely forget that during the digestion of food, the metabolism accelerates, so if you every three hours will throw up firewood into the firebox, you are really speed up your metabolism, which in astenics and most people, who can not gain weight, already is usually elevated. So what is in this context, the meaning of crushed eating?

I do not want teach anyone in this issue, but it seems to me that the best diet for any situation - it is just that which is prompted by nature: a hearty breakfast, lunch on the situation and light dinner. If you do not have time to dine up to seven hours, it is not forbidden to do so after nine, but to eat something that is digested quickly - fruit (not vegetable), and when the normal acidity this can be even sandwich with meat.

Another point on the regime - to make snacks, or not to make? This is as in the Polish joke: "Some people say that "Dog Waltz" was written by Chopin, others that not, but I do not believe neither the one nor the other..." Do not question! If your snacks are generally amount to no more than 15-20% of the daily diet, they do not horn your stomach and intestines, and only that makes a difference, but not any caloric content, as you will see in the next section.

But on the other hand, if you have a poor appetite, no snacks allowed, it is clear to anyone. And you will not want snacking yourself.

3. Sleep and rest

Sleep should be firm and long-term (at least 8 hours). First, in a sleep you spend less energy, and secondly, the normal sleep by itself relieves stress, improves mood in the morning and picks up an appetite.

It was a sleep pituitary gland produces growth hormone somatropin, which is necessary for weight gain - it also provides muscle growth. Sleep also helps the body cope with stress hormones - cortisol, which actively burns fat in thin people.

However, growth hormone is produced not by any sleep, but only at night, and then only in the first phase of sleep. Therefore, already in 10-11 hours you should be in bed. Dinner parties, discotheques and evening walks are canceled.

Punctuate the work and leisure. Allow yourself time to time to relax and sit quietly for 10-15 minutes, and even lie down. And you can nap for an hour after lunch, at least on weekends - let "fat start up". And after weekday's lunch do not try to wash the dishes immediately for the whole family, but at least 15-20 minutes sit quietly.

The recommendations "to soak up the morning in bed", you can follow only if it does not conflict with the hours set aside for breakfast - 7 to 9 am.

4. Sports

Due to what you want to increase your weight - from fat or from muscle? In fact we need both one, and other. The problem is that when the body weight gain it should be properly distributed.

Underweight - is not necessarily a lack of fat. In most cases, the cause of low weight is poorly developed muscles. In order to develop and strengthen them, the physical load required. These loads are needed for both men and women, albeit in varying degrees. It would be better if you will be prepared for an individual exercise program.

For a build of muscle mass are needed dose (not hard!) exercises to all muscle groups - for example, swimming, tennis, badminton. Such exercises should be regular. For most people is suitable the most simple, basic training with weights - three workouts per week.

5. Lifestyle - get rid of stress

If you want to grow stout, protect yourself from negative emotions and stressful situations. This is a very important point. Many of the recommendations are silent about this moment, but it is very important. After all, no wonder they say that thin people are more often angry and stout, of contrast, good-natured.

Try to work out a definite phlegm and always maintain composure. If you suffer for any reason, and all take too much to heart, you will be very difficult to gain weight.

So do not weigh yourself too often - looking at the scales, you start to get nervous, but it is absolutely forbidden! In general, the result is better defined not by weight, and by inches; you will rather see rounding up of your forms in the mirror.

Learn to relax - there are very interesting and useful technologies for this. To relax before bedtime, make half-hour walk in the fresh air.

Give up bad habits, mainly from cigarettes and alcohol. Nicotine speeds up metabolism, smokers spend, compared with nonsmokers, about 200 calories more - why need you this? Alcohol is also not conducive to weight gain.

If possible, spend a summer or at least a month in the countryside - with relatives in the village, in a quiet boarding house. Sometimes it is very beneficial effect even the change of place and environment. Even if you can not do this, try to be more often in the open air.